Parlour expects improvement

Last Updated: August 13 2014, 14:30 BST

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour can see plenty to suggest the club will improve on last season's efforts in 2014/15 - but is not betting on Arsene Wenger's side winning the Barclays Premier League title.

That feeling is certainly shared by Parlour, who thinks Sanchez is "perfect" for the division.

But for all that is coming together in promising fashion at the Emirates Stadium, the 41-year-old ex-England international believes either Chelsea or City are likely to end up top of the pile.

Parlour, speaking in London at a McDonald's and Football Association Community Football Day, told Press Association Sport: "I think the bookmakers get it right a lot of the time and Chelsea and Manchester City are probably joint favourites.

Parlour, who played for Arsenal for 12 years until 2004, won the Premier League and the FA Cup three times each during his days at the club under Wenger.

It was too long ago for many of the children involved in the McDonald's and FA event he attended at Long Lane JFC to have seen but they showed their enthusiasm nonetheless towards Parlour, who in turn was highly approving of the work being done there at grass-roots level.

He said: "This is what it is all about - grass-roots football, getting people involved, getting people playing the game.

"They are trying to do the best they can to get kids at a young age passing and moving.

"Lots of them have come up to me and probably a lot of them don't remember me playing, but they are still asking me to sign their books!"